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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo To Host

SECURE YOUR IDENTITY DAY 2012

OCTOBER 20, 2012

40 GARDENVILLE PARKWAY

WEST SENECA

Identity theft affects
approximately 10 million United States residents each year, with financial
losses totaling upwards of $50 billion. CCCS of Buffalo will do its’ part to
help people in the Buffalo community protect their identities by hosting SECURE
YOUR IDENTITY DAY 2012 on October 20th and offering expert tips on
how to protect your identity.

Join us on October 20th,
from 10:00 am—2:00 pm. Staff of Consumer Credit Counseling Services and CINTAS
will be available to accept any and all documents for shredding on the spot,
and will also accept used cell phones. Certified Financial Counselors will be
on hand to pull credit reports and provide one-on-one financial counseling.

This
year's theme is "ID Theft Protection on the Go”…Smartphone Alert!

We
all love our cell phones, but with the convenience of smart phones came the
opportunity for thieves to help themselves to our personal information.

A
Smartphone is a mobile phone with enhanced capabilities.Many of these new functions are similar to
those found on a PC.With the increased
abilities of the Smartphone, come built-in risks for exposure of personal
information. This information, carried on and transmitted through the device,
is highly desired for use by identity thieves. There are steps Smartphone users
can take in order to reduce the risks associated with using these handy
devices.

Risks
which occur when using a Smartphone:

There
are many risks when you use a smartphone.

Phones
are easily lost or stolen.Think about
how many times you have lost your cell phone. Enough said.

These
mobile devices are associated with and linked to a particular user for billing
and account purposes.This association
is taken a step further when GPS is enabled on a device.

Increased
mobility means increased exposure.

Moving
in and out of Wi-Fi service areas means moving in and out of firewalls and
secure hotspots. Some applications used on smartphones are unsafe.Some can actually enable “phishing” or other
malicious attacks.

Best
practices to protect yourself and your personal information with Smartphones:

Password-protect your phone.This is the simplest step you can take to
prevent your information from being accessed.Make sure it is a strong password that is not similar to or associated
with any other personal information.

Install Security Software.There are a number of companies which offer
anti-virus, malware and security software designed especially for
Smartphones.Contact your carrier for
details.

Be aware of what you are doing on your
phone.The same precautions you would
take while on your home computer apply to your Smartphone.Double check URLs for accuracy, don’t open suspicious
links, and make sure a site is secure (https) before giving any billing or
personal information.

When installing an app on any Smartphone, take
the time to read the “fine print”.Evaluate the information the app requires access to, and consider if
this information is necessary for the app to run successfully. If you cannot
see a reason for the app to have access to the information, you should
reconsider installing the app.

Install a “phone finder” app.These apps are designed to help you find
your phone if it becomes lost or stolen.

Enroll in a backup / wiping program. You can
enroll in a program that will back up the information on your Smartphone to
your home computer.Many of these
services are also able to “wipe” your phone if it is lost or stolen so that no
data remains on the device itself.These services are available through your Smartphone’s manufacturer or
through your wireless provider.iPhones
have a built-in “wipe” feature that can be turned on that will wipe the phone
after 10 failed log-on attempts.

Limit your activities while using public
Wi-Fi.Try not to purchase things or
access email while using a public Wi-Fi zone.Public Wi-Fi hotspots are targeted by hackers since they can give the
hacker direct access to your mobile device.Using your 3G network provider connection is much more secure than using
a public Wi-Fi connection.

Check URLs before making a purchase using your
Smartphone.Any page that requires
credit card information should start with https://. This means it is a secured
site.

If your
Smartphone is lost or stolen:

If you have enrolled in a backup / wiping
program:

Contact the administrator of your program and
have them “wipe” your phone.

Call your service provider and have them cancel
your service and report your phone missing.